Grand National Rink Explained

Grand National Rink
Address:153 Brock Avenue
Location:Toronto, Ontario
Opened:1896
Closed:1902
Owner:Andrew Wheeler Green

The Grand National Rink was an outdoor skating rink located in the Brockton Village neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1896[1] to 1902.[2] At the time, it was the largest open-air rink in the city.[1] [3] Its location is now the site of the McCormick Playground Arena at McCormick Park in the Little Portugal neighbourhood. 

History

Business merchant Andrew Wheeler Green[4] owned the Grand National Rink[5] at 153 Brock Avenue,[6] south of Dundas Street. Opened in December 1896,[1] the north side of the grounds featured the ice rink and a heated bandstand.[7] Expansion plans began in March 1897 to add new amenities.[8] By May 1900, a new bandstand was constructed and the grounds featured a large fountain surrounded by evergreen trees.[9] A basketball court was added along with a race track for sprinting and distance running and an athletic field for jumping and vaulting.[10] One corner had a summertime outdoor roller skating rink and an open-air hockey rink for the winter.[11]

Skating carnivals were held at the Grand National Rink[12] [13] [14] along with speed skating races that attracted crowds of up to 1,000 spectators.[15] [16] In January 1902, the rink was awarded the bid by the Amateur Skating Association of Canada to hold the Ontario racing championships during the first week of February.[17] Event organizers expected the tournament to attract a wide array of speed skaters from across the country and Green anticipated large attendance numbers.[18] However, its location was too distant from the city’s downtown to draw a big crowd and the gathering became a local sporting event with a provincial name.[19] Green's incurred financial losses forced the closure of the Grand National Rink in 1902.

Reopenings

The grounds of the Grand National Rink remained vacant until the end of 1907,[20] which was then followed by two brief reopenings. 

Royal Alexandra Rink

The north end of the Grand National Rink became the Royal Alexandra Rink, reopened as an outdoor hockey rink in January 1908[21] at 189 Brock Avenue.[22] Its secretary was Thomas Bert Andrew,[23] a hockey player with the Bank of Toronto Hockey Club in 1904[24] [25] [26] whose brother, William Herbert Andrew,[27] attended the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902. The last scheduled hockey game at the Royal Alexandra Rink was held in March 1908.[28] By April, the rink and its adjoining property became the grounds for a three-acre (1.2 ha) baseball field[29] with a large bleacher-seating area.[30]

Brock Avenue Rink

Toronto Marlboros treasurer Arthur Hillyard Birmingham[31] and his brother, team captain Herbert Frederick Birmingham, organized a consortium of hockey players to bring the Toronto Professional Hockey Club, a predecessor of the Toronto Maple Leafs, over to the Eastern Canada Hockey Association (ECHA)[32] [33] [34] in response to the hockey club's withdrawal from the Ontario Professional Hockey League on November 19, 1909.[35] The Birmingham brothers telegraphed a proposal to the ECHA on November 24[36] about their plan to erect a large canvas roof over the site of the former Grand National Rink[37] [38] and install wooden sideboards for a hockey rink by the end of 1909. The cost to build the temporary structure with a seating capacity for 4,000 people was . Construction of a permanent hockey arena for the professional team was scheduled for the following year on the grounds of the baseball field. The ECHA, which then became the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA), accepted the proposal on the condition that the new indoor arena had to be ready to house the Toronto club by the next summer.

The former Royal Alexandra Rink became the Brock Avenue Rink, reopened in December 1909[39] at 189 Brock Avenue.[40] The ice rink featured amateur hockey games,[41] skating carnivals[42] [43] and speed skating races.[44] When the CHA dissolved on January 15, 1910,[45] [46] its hockey teams were transferred over to the National Hockey Association and its agreement with the Birmingham brothers came to an end. The last known skating event at the Brock Avenue Rink was held in March 1910 and the Mutual Street Arena in downtown Toronto became the first home arena of the Toronto Hockey Club and, subsequently, the Toronto Maple Leafs.  

McCormick Park

See main article: McCormick Park.

The city of Toronto purchased the property of the former Grand National Rink for in December 1910[47] [48] for the purpose of establishing a playground. The parcel of land became the McCormick Playground in 1911,[49] named in recognition of Mary Virginia McCormick, the daughter of American inventor Cyrus Hall McCormick[50] [51] who lived in Toronto in 1908[52] and donated to the Toronto Playgrounds Association in 1910.[53] [54] [55] The McCormick Recreation Centre opened at the north end of the property in 1912[56] [57] at 163 Brock Avenue.[58]

By 1963, the outdoor playground became known as McCormick Park.[59] A new McCormick Recreation Centre was opened in 1964[60] [61] at 66 Sheridan Avenue,[62] located immediately east of the original building which itself became the site for the McCormick Playground Arena in 1972,[63] an indoor skating arena at 179 Brock Avenue.[64]

List of notable speed skaters

Notable athletes who skated at the Grand National Rink include the following:

Notes and References

  1. News: The Rinks . . 22 December 1896 . 2.
  2. News: Comment on Current Sporting Topics . . 13 December 1902 . 15.
  3. News: Skating Races New Year's Day . Toronto Daily Star . 28 December 1901 . 6.
  4. News: Obituary . Milton Canadian Champion . 25 September 1930 . 1.
  5. News: A.W. Green Buried . Toronto Daily Star . 13 September 1930 . 2.
  6. Book: Toronto City Directory, 1898 . 1898 . Might Directory Company, Limited . Toronto . 110, 1462 . 31 August 2021.
  7. News: Grand National . Toronto Evening Star . 11 December 1897 . 7.
  8. News: Beyond the Subway . Toronto Evening Star . 30 March 1897 . 2.
  9. News: Roller Polo in Toronto . Toronto Daily Star . 10 May 1900 . 8.
  10. News: Grand National Sports . Toronto Daily Star . 30 May 1900 . 8.
  11. News: Toronto Speed Skaters . Toronto Daily Star . 14 December 1900 . 8.
  12. News: By the Way . . 4 February 1897 . 10.
  13. News: Cycle Chat . Toronto Globe . 22 December 1898 . 10.
  14. News: Vanity Fair on Ice . Toronto Daily Star . 30 January 1901 . 2.
  15. News: Fast Skaters, Hot Races . Toronto Evening Star . 20 January 1899 . 4.
  16. News: Champion Robson Was Beaten Twice . Toronto Daily Star . 2 January 1901 . 8.
  17. News: Skating Races Here in February . Toronto Daily Star . 13 January 1902 . 3.
  18. News: To-Night's Championships . Toronto Daily Star . 6 February 1902 . 8.
  19. News: The News of Sport . Toronto Globe . 10 February 1902 . 8.
  20. Book: Toronto City Directory, 1907 . 1907 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 118 . 31 August 2021.
  21. News: Hockey on Open-Air Rinks . Toronto Daily Star . 8 January 1908 . 10.
  22. Book: Toronto City Directory, 1910 . 1910 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 99, 1066, 1425 . 31 August 2021.
  23. News: Hockey Doings . Toronto Daily Star . 21 February 1908 . 13.
  24. Book: Spalding's Official Ice Hockey Guide 1907 . Toombs . Frederick R. . January 1907 . . . 40.
  25. News: Big Surprise in the Bank League . Toronto Daily Star . 10 February 1904 . 10.
  26. News: Torontos Again Champions . Toronto Globe . 10 February 1904 . 12.
  27. News: Retired Druggist Served in QOR . . 2 March 1951 . 5.
  28. News: Woodgreen Ahead . Toronto Daily Star . 6 March 1908 . 11.
  29. News: A Twenty-One Game Schedule for C.A.L. . Toronto Daily Star . 28 March 1908 . 20.
  30. News: New Grounds for Amateur League . Toronto Daily Star . 16 March 1908 . 9.
  31. Book: Spalding's Official Ice Hockey Guide 1906 . Farrell . Arthur . Arthur Farrell . January 1906 . American Sports Publishing Company . New York . 114.
  32. Book: Harper, Stephen J. . . Stephen Harper . 2013 . Toronto . . 978-1-4767-1653-4 . 208.
  33. News: Ottawa Hears of It . Toronto Daily Star . 24 November 1909 . 12.
  34. News: That Arena Again . Toronto Globe . 24 November 1909 . 9.
  35. News: Toronto Out of the Pro. League . Toronto Daily Star . 20 November 1909 . 25.
  36. News: A Hockey Rink Under Canvas . Toronto Daily Star . 24 November 1909 . 12.
  37. News: A Rink in a Tent . Toronto Globe . 25 November 1909 . 9.
  38. News: The News of Sport . Toronto Globe . 25 November 1909 . 9.
  39. News: Brock Avenue . Toronto Daily Star . 16 December 1909 . 14.
  40. Book: Toronto City Directory, 1911 . 1911 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 96, 431, 1434 . 31 August 2021.
  41. News: Boys' Union Hockey League . Toronto Daily Star . 11 January 1910 . 13.
  42. News: Brock Ave . Toronto Daily Star . 10 January 1910 . 5.
  43. News: Brock Avenue . Toronto Daily Star . 24 January 1910 . 5.
  44. News: Jacobson Is a Good One . Toronto Daily Star . 5 March 1910 . 25.
  45. News: New Pro. League Formed . Toronto Daily Star . 17 January 1910 . 11.
  46. News: New Seven-Club League . Toronto Globe . 17 January 1910 . 8.
  47. News: Want $34,000 for Ground . Toronto Daily Star . 8 December 1910 . 7.
  48. News: May Buy Brock Ave. Site . Toronto Daily Star . 16 December 1910 . 7.
  49. News: New Playgrounds Opened . Toronto Globe . 3 July 1911 . 8.
  50. News: Miss McCormick, 80, of 'Oaklands,' Dies . Globe and Mail . 27 May 1941 . 4.
  51. News: Once Had Oaklands; Reaper Heiress Dies . Toronto Daily Star . 27 May 1941 . 10.
  52. Web site: Background Report: De La Salle College 'Oaklands' 131 Farnham Avenue . City of Toronto . 31 August 2021 . July 2015 . 4.
  53. News: For Children's Playground . Toronto Globe . 15 August 1910 . 7.
  54. News: A Check for $10,000 for Big Playground . Toronto Daily Star . 7 September 1910 . 3.
  55. News: The M'Cormick Playground . Toronto Globe . 4 March 1911 . 9.
  56. News: Came From Chicago to Give Playgrounds . Toronto Globe . 23 September 1912 . 9.
  57. News: Children Get New Playplace . . 23 September 1912 . 9.
  58. Book: Toronto City Directory, 1914 . 1914 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 119, 1083, 1826 . 31 August 2021.
  59. Book: Greater Toronto City Directory, 1963 . 1963 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 78 . 31 August 2021.
  60. News: 2 Reporters Evicted From Union Meeting . Globe and Mail . 30 October 1964 . 5.
  61. News: Busy Children Take Over $750,000 Recreation Centre . Globe and Mail . 30 October 1964 . 39.
  62. Book: Greater Toronto City Directory, 1965 . 1965 . Might Directories, Limited . Toronto . 78 .
  63. Web site: McCormick Arena . live . McCormick Playground Arena Board of Management . 31 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190826185627/http://www.mccormickarena.com/McCormick_Arena_2018-19/Home.html . 26 August 2019.
  64. Web site: Toronto Municipal Code, Community and Recreation Centres . City of Toronto . 31 August 2021 . 24 . January 2019.
  65. News: Champion Team of Toronto Skaters . Toronto Daily Star . 16 February 1900 . 6.
  66. News: Speediest Lady Skater . Toronto Daily Star . 7 February 1901 . 8.
  67. Web site: Toronto, 1902, Part 1 (Ontario Marriage Registrations, 1800-1927) . Ontario Vital Statistics Project . Archives of Ontario Microfilm MS 932, Reel 106, Volume A, 1902. Marriage Registration No. 002686-02, Toronto, 17 September 1902 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231127095241/https://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maryc/tor02.htm . 27 November 2023.
  68. News: World's Records Go by the Board at Montreal . Toronto Evening Star . 4 February 1895 . 4.
  69. News: New Records at Montreal . Toronto Globe . 4 February 1895 . 6.
  70. News: Odds and Ends . Toronto Daily Star . 16 February 1901 . 6.
  71. News: Skating Notes . Toronto Daily Star . 18 February 1901 . 8.
  72. News: Record Smashed . Toronto Evening Star . 6 February 1897 . 2.
  73. News: The Championship Meeting . Toronto Daily Star . 5 February 1900 . 6.
  74. News: Toronto Skaters Came Home To-Day . Toronto Daily Star . 18 February 1901 . 8.
  75. News: The Speed Championships . Toronto Globe . 18 February 1901 . 8.
  76. News: Toronto Skaters Have No Excuses . Toronto Daily Star . 3 February 1902 . 8.
  77. News: Larry Piper . Toronto Daily Star . 24 February 1908 . 11.
  78. News: Toronto Man Won the 220 Yd. Championship . Toronto Daily Star . 5 February 1900 . 6.
  79. News: Champion Robson Returns . Toronto Globe . 5 February 1900 . 10.
  80. News: World's Record at Skating . . 6 February 1904 . 7.
  81. News: Two New Skating Records . New York Times . 1 February 1911 . 9.
  82. News: Robson Skated in Excellent Form . Toronto Daily Star . 8 February 1902 . 9.
  83. News: Roe Skating Champion . New York Times . 30 January 1910 . 1.

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